


Survival

by orphan_account



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Gen, POV Second Person, spoilers for chapter 42
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-07-24
Updated: 2013-07-24
Packaged: 2017-12-21 05:03:06
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 669
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/896107
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It’s just a matter of killing them before they can kill you.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Survival

You’re eleven when you break through the wall. Reiner is twelve, and even though you tower over him (always) no one would ever mistake you for the older one. He is only by a year but he is confident and strong and smiles so easily. Young, but no one would doubt that he’s a warrior. You don’t feel like a warrior but you’re not afraid because he’s with you. 

"They’re so tall," you run your fingers along the smooth material, “but we’ll bring them down. Together."

"You’re taller," he says, barely above a whisper, as if anyone would listen to two dirty children in the throngs of the newly homeless crammed into Trost. He watches them intently, focused on something you don’t see among the drawn, hungry faces. They all look the same to you, a shivering, huddled mass of people who would rip you apart with their bare hands if they only knew. 

It’s just a matter of killing them before they can kill you -not difficult when they are always small and stupid and weak.

"I don’t like it here," Reiner says even quieter.

You do your best to comfort him, smile nervously and promise a few years isn't that long. People mill around and you take pleasure in imagining how empty and calm and quiet this town will be when you succeed.

—-

Talking openly where others can hear is dangerous, but in the barracks as the rest of the cadets sleep it feels safe enough that you can’t help yourself, “Do you think they can tell we’re different?"

"What are you talking about?" he cracks an eye open sleepily, “Everyone’s going to be soldiers one day."

You’re not sure how to answer so you stare at him, tight-lipped and confused. “We’re not," you object only as he goes to roll over and ignore your question. 

Reiner frowns at you, perhaps for disturbing his sleep.

"We’re the best in the squad," he sits up, leans on his elbow and squints at you in the dark, “except Mikasa, but she can’t be human." The chuckle is quiet but it chills you. Something is wrong. He’s smiling at his own joke, and it’s not because it’s a private laugh over the irony. He means every word of the nonsense he spouts.

"All of them are humans, even Mikasa." She is cold, calculated, and just as easy to pull apart piece by piece as any of the others will be.

Your voice wavers and you take his hand and don’t let go until the look he gives you goes from puzzled to uncomfortable. “She’s no match for a warrior like you."

Reiner pulls his hand away and mumbles an agreement before squeezing your shoulder. His grip is light, the fleshy pad of his thumb barely grazing the edge of your collarbone through the thin fabric of your shirt.

"Don’t stress yourself out, they don’t know better. No one suspects anything. Except that you need to relax, which is true."

You open your mouth to object but the words don’t form quite right and all you can choke out is an “oh" before Reiner tells you to go to sleep already.

It is impossible, though you hear his snores not long after along with all the muffled breathing and tossing of the rest of the squad. How Reiner can be so calm around all these people training to kill you is baffling. You try to lull yourself to sleep thinking of home and how every day here is one step closer back to how things were -to a time Reiner did not like being trapped in these walls.

His complacency worries you, but even if he loses his footing you will keep him steady. “He needs me after all," you tell yourself, “just as much as I need him." 

You will tear these walls down together, you will return home together, and Reiner will forget about these insignificant people clawing their way into his chest and taking pieces they don’t deserve.


End file.
